We had spent the entire summer in Greece. Jacob's villa was incredible, sat up on the hill overlooking the water and the entire town below. While it had been fun, I'd really missed my friends. My Mum let them come stay with us sometimes, especially Theodore, but it wasn't the same as being home, and seeing them every day. Originally I had hoped that maybe it would be a one-year thing and next summer I'd be able to stay at home and hang with my friends.
But it was starting to feel more and more like that wasn't going to happen. My Mum was in it with this guy. I could see it in her eyes. It was weird, when she was with guys before, it was more of a determination in her eyes like she had a goal and she was going to reach it.
With Jacob, however, it wasn't a means to an end, the whole dating thing. She seemed to really enjoy it, really enjoy being with him. They went on date nights, quite a bit. They would tell Tate to stay at the house with Reid and me but he almost never did. The first night he did that, he bribed us to stay quiet and we did.
After that, he stopped bribing, but we still stayed quiet. I assumed Reid did it because of sibling loyalty, I did it because I wasn't a narc.
After dates they would come home, Mum would kiss me goodnight- Jacob would do the same for Reid and they'd head out onto the veranda.
After the second date, I crawled out of bed and snuck over to Reid's room- which looked out over that spot and we watched as the two of them drank wine and danced.
We only had a week left that first summer when Reid revealed something to me.
"He's going to propose to her." I looked at her in shock.
"How do you know that?"
"I saw the ring when I was looking through his office."
"You were snooping?"
"I was looking for envelopes and it was in the drawer." She answered, hugging her knees to her chest.
"Are you okay with that?" I asked I was used to this but I knew that after Jacob's wife- Tate and Reid's Mom- left, he hadn't ever remarried.
"He's happy." She rested her chin on her knees and we watched as the song playing changed, and he stood up, holding out a hand to my Mom. "And that's what I want so- Yeah, I'm okay with it. Tate might not be though. He was closer to Mum than I ever was."
"Hmm." I mimicked her position, the two of us watching out the window as our parents danced, Etta James's voice floating up to us.
"Are you okay with it?"
"I've done this before." I answered automatically.
"That's not what I asked. Are you okay with your Mum getting married... again?" I paused and looked up at her. My Mum always made sure I wasn't upset about the marriage, but she never really asked if I was okay with it.
After a Moment of thought, I nodded.
"Yeah, I'm okay with it."
"And you're okay with this?" I rolled my eyes as Theodore questioned, once again, my willingness to go along with Jacob Fawley's plan.
"Yes, Theodore. I am fine with it." I was doing a bit of last-minute packing, we were leaving today. "Hey wasn't Mulciber supposed to be coming with you?" Theodore had shown up on my doorstep half an hour ago and after coffee, I'd told him he could either leave or watch me finish what I needed to do in order to prepare for the trip. He had obviously chosen the latter.
"Yeah, he's in mourning. He finally finished the car and proceeded to crash it on its first trip out."
"I am utterly shocked." I deadpanned. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine. Just upset about the work going down the drain." Theodore shrugged. "You're taking that shirt?"
"I see Coco is turning you into a fashionista." I paused, looking at the shirt in my hand. I tossed it off to the side, over the top of a chair, and went back into the closet to grab a replacement.
"Yes, my wife knows many, many amazing things, fashion is just one of them."
"And yet she can't get you to stop dressing like the moody teenage dark academia protagonist." I noted, taking in his khakis and long-sleeved button-down despite the fact that tomorrow marked the first day of July.
"She likes the way I dress." Theodore shrugged.
"So much for her taste." Theodore narrowed his eyes on me.
"How are you going to handle being in the villa with Reid?" Theodore asked. Theodore was the only person I had told about our night together, about sleeping with her after his engagement party.
"Fine. She has a boyfriend." Much to my chagrin, she was still with Charles Travers. I had looked into him- hoping to find something, anything, that made him out to be a guy I should hate but alas, he was squeaky clean. He hadn't had a hand in Voldemort's stuff, he had a good job. He'd never gotten in trouble with the Aurors. He even managed to keep a low profile in seventh year when everyone seemingly was getting into shit.
He was pristine and that sounded far too boring to be something that Reid would be into.
"So? You've never let a boyfriend stop you before."
"That was different." I shrugged. I thought about the letter I had written and sent out the day before. I had never gotten a response to it. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one.
I was trying to be a good guy. I was trying to go against everything I felt and be the nice guy who didn't try to talk Reid into betraying her boyfriend even though I wanted nothing more than to make her scream my name so loud she completely forgot his.
So I sent her a letter, basically saying I wanted to put everything behind us, that history was history and we could move forward from here.
I had taken my time, writing it up in a very clear and concise way. I'd learned a lot over the past year working for the law office and I had used that to help me draft up a proper letter, a proposal letter really.
she hadn't responded but I assumed it was because it didn't really need one.
"Different how?" Theodore asked, curiously.
"I don't know, it just is," I answered. It was a lie, I knew why.
It was different because, with every other woman, I didn't really care if they were upset or what happened with them after we hooked up. I cared about Reid. I wasn't willing to be the one to rip apart her life and her relationship and leave her to pick up the pieces.
"Right." I could hear it in his voice that Theodore didn't believe me.
"Shouldn't you be home with your wife? You know, the person who gets something in return for putting up with you and your Theodore-ness?"
"My Theodore-ness?" He asked, cracking a smile.
"Yes, the- Theodore nonsense." I waved a dismissive hand. He laughed and shook his head.
"Coco is at her mother's house. Designated Twin Time or something." Theodore shrugged. I quirked an eyebrow and looked over at him. As two only children, we didn't get it. The Twins had tried to explain it before but we just didn't understand apparently.
Or maybe the Selwyn twins were just weird- I was leaning toward that one.
"Anyway, it means I have all the time in the world to stay here and judge you for your choices and you acting like a fucking weirdo." Theodore leaned back. I gave him a dirty look but went back to packing.
"So, you'll come out for a couple of days while we're there right? You can even bring Coco." I tossed a few more things into my bag and then snapped it closed.
"Thank you so much for permission." Theodore rolled his eyes. He would have brought her regardless and we both knew it. "Will I get an actual room this time or will Coco and I be squeezing into the trundle bed like old times?"
"I might be able to talk Mum into letting you have a guest room. I really don't need the trauma of the two of you getting it on eight inches away from where I'm sleeping." I shuddered at the thought. I'd walked in on them once already since they'd married and moved into their own place. Their inability to keep bedroom activities to the bedroom- or at least to times when they didn't have people over, seemed to be chronic.
"Because we absolutely would," Theodore confirmed.
"Trust me, I know."
"Can't deny a wife like mine." Theodore shrugged.
"I mean you could."
"Can't, I'm addicted." Theodore argued. I rolled my eyes, looking over my shoulder at the sheer amount of packing I still had to do before we left.
"Great, go get your fix. I have shit to do."
"Oh wow, it looks exactly like I remember it."
We had just apparated into the front hall of the villa, and Mum was right, the place looked- exactly as it had the last time we were here.
I shrugged.
"It's only been a couple of years, and they didn't come to stay here in the interim right?" I asked. Mum gave me a look but walked away from the pile of luggage.
"Wait- Wait. Mom." I hurried after her and she paused.
"Yes?"
"Are you staying in your own room while we're here or? What?"
"I think that is none of your business, young man."
"It's absolutely my business. You are my mother and I'm going to be staying here too-"
"I'm sharing his room." Mum shrugged and turned, walking away. I made a face, following after her.
We headed into the kitchen- knowing that was where the Fawleys would be hanging out.
Jacob was standing at the counter, with a knife in his hand. He had house elves and they did some of the cooking but we learned quickly the first time we came here to stay that Jacob liked to use his summer vacation to do some of his own cooking. And with the beautiful open kitchen- it was where we all came to hang out during the summer.
"Jacob, I wanted to ask you something-"
"Young man, you better not-"
"It's not about you two living in sin." I shook my head at my Mom. Jacob quirked an eyebrow.
"Okay?"
"Part of my job agreeing to let me work like this- was me actually doing some work. Is there a space I can use as an office that isn't my bedroom?" I asked.
"Oh yes, definitely. We have plenty of space." Jacob confirmed. "We'll have to get something properly set up but until then if you need to, you can work in my office." He offered. I nodded and relaxed a bit, glad that was worked out at least. I glanced over at the table where Reid sat with a few papers spread out in front of her, and on the other side of the table was Tate, reading the newspaper.
"Take a seat, I'm making some lunch." Jacob gestured with the knife and I did just that, sitting down, and trying to get a look at the papers that Reid had spread out.
"They're notes." She commented without looking up.
"For?"
"Work." She grabbed her pen from the table and scribbled something out, writing something else above it.
"Enlightening thank you," I responded. She finally paused and looked up at me.
"You're welcome." I made a face at her and she automatically stuck her tongue out at me. I grinned but her face went back to being impassive, looking over her notes.
"You're doing- spell work right?" I asked, leaning back in my seat as if I wasn't fully aware of what career she'd gone into because I'd been listening in on my mother's conversations.
"Yes."
"That's not shocking. You were always good with spells-"
"I know."
Jacob cleared his throat after we all fell into an awkward silence.
"Reid." She stopped and looked up at her dad. "Don't be rude."
"I'm not. I am being civil."
My stomach dropped.
Oh.
"Reid, can I talk to you- in private?" I asked, glancing over at her brother, who had put down the paper in favor of watching us. Reid sighed dramatically and put down her pen.
"Fine. But only because I need to grab something from my room." She stood up and I did the same, following her up the stairs.
"Reid. I didn't mean- when I said to be civil I didn't mean cold-"
"No? Then what did you mean?" She asked, stopping on the stairs so abruptly that I nearly ran into her. She turned and looked down at me.
"I meant- I didn't want things to be weird after..." I trailed off and gestured.
"After you hooked up with me and then tried to act like it never happened." Reid finished. My eyes widened and I turned to make sure we were far enough up the stairs that no one would have heard that.
"Yeah that's what I thought." Reid muttered and ran the rest of the way up the stairs. I followed after her, watching as she opened the door to her usual room and walked in.
Well since I was up here anyway. I headed for the door to my room and turned the knob.
"What are you doing?"
"Going into my room?" I pushed the door open. It looked just like I remembered it, I had a gorgeous view of the town, even the bedding was the same, it was all light, as it got quite warm in the summertime. I headed in but she grabbed the back of my shirt.
"No, absolutely not. You need to pick a different room. Not the one across from me."
"Oh yeah? Afraid I won't be able to control myself?" I asked. It was a valid worry. It was taking a lot of willpower to not kiss her as it was. She scoffed.
"Just pick a different room, Blaise."
"No. This one is mine. If you don't like it, then you switch rooms."
"This has been my room since day one."
"And this has been mine since my day one." I shrugged. "If you don't like it- like I said, you move, but- oh look at that." I pushed the door further open to reveal my stack of luggage. "Seems it's already decided."
I stepped into my room and closed my door, just to hear her shriek of annoyance and her own door slamming.
"Oh yeah, just like old times." I laughed. It was going to be a long, long summer
"Alright, I'm thinking Golden Ambrosia for dinner," Jacob said later that evening. Eventually, I'd gone back downstairs and about half an hour later, Reid came trudging back down with a folder of paperwork.
"I will never get over how that sounds like a strip club." Tate shook his head, sipping from a butterbeer. Jacob gave him a look. It was Jacob's favorite place to go for dinner. A nice little Greek restaurant. And it was tradition to go there on our first day.
"I agree, Golden Ambrosia does sound like a strip club but also sounds perfect for dinner." Mum agreed.
"Don't encourage that." Jacob gestured at his son who grinned.
"I'll pass." Reid spoke up from the table.
"What?"
"I have to get these invoices done tonight. I'll just stay here and get something from the fridge. You guys go." At some point, she'd twisted her hair up into a bun on the top of her head and she'd donned her reading glasses- something she only did when she was deep in the trenches.
"You're sure, we can bring you back something." Jacob offered. Reid looked thoughtful.
"Dessert?" She requested. Jacob nodded.
"Of course, sweetheart." He walked past, pausing to kiss her head. "Boys?"
"I'm in. I'm starving." Tate tipped his head back to down the rest of his butterbeer then tossed the bottle into the recycling. From the corner of my eye, I could see Reid watching me.
"Yeah, I'm in." I agreed. Her shoulders relaxed. I tried not to be annoyed by that.
"Great, let's get going then." Jacob ruffled his son's hair and headed for the door. Mum hurried after him and Tate and I made up the end of the little train out the door, leaving Reid alone.
The Villa was on a small island off the coast of Greece, Kalokairi. It was a great little place but the big problem was that the town was full of muggles. it meant that we had to be careful with magic- very careful.
Something we weren't always the best at. But since seeing what Theodore had to do when he worked for his old department, I took magic in front of muggles far more seriously than I had when I was a kid.
We apparated to just outside of town- as it was a bit of a trek from the villa to the town itself and of course, Mum was in heels, then from there we walked.
Stepping into Golden Ambrosia brought on a slew of memories I wasn't prepared for. It had only been three years away but somehow this felt like coming home after a decade away. It smelled amazing and the place was filled with the sound of walking and laughing, people shouting to each other, the clanks and clangs from the kitchen while they cooked the food.
"Well I'll be damned, is that Jacob Fawley?" A man with a thick Greek accent asked. "And The Ever Beautiful Jacqueline!" He came bee-lining over and wrapped my Mum up in a hug.
"Bacchus!" Mum grinned and hugged him back. He took a step away and his eyes widened.
"Little Blaise and Tate- not so little anymore."
"Hey, Bacc." I grinned. The man had been one of the first people I met on the island and he'd treated all of us like family from the first moment he met us.
"Come, come, you must sit, It's been too long, too too long." He insisted, leading us back to the usual table we had sat at before. "Where is the girl? Miss Reid? Married, off with a husband?" he asked. Tate choked out a laugh.
"No- No, Reid is just back at the house. She had some work to get done and her getting married isn't funny, Tate." Jacob scolded.
"If she marries that Travers guy and I have to say 'my brother-in-law Charles' I will throw myself off a bridge."
"And you will be missed." Jacob shook his head. "We aren't talking about this when she's not here. Reid is fine." He directed that last part to Bacchus who nodded, letting us settle in. He came back a moment later with the menus that we didn't need.
Of course, these were muggles, they had no idea about the war, they just saw we'd stopped showing up. That hadn't actually occurred to me as this was the only place I'd ever really gone to where I interacted with muggles.
We ordered our dinner and it arrived about fifteen minutes later.
The Dolmadakia was to die for. I forgot how delicious it was, Each bite was so full of flavor, I couldn't stop eating until I felt like I was ready to explode.
Jacob ordered the dessert for Reid and when it arrived, he paid for everything. I made a mental note to catch the check next time. This isn't like when I was a kid- I had money and Jacob wasn't my stepdad anymore.
We gathered the few leftovers we had and headed out the door.
"Hey so-" Tate paused as we walked out the door.
"Yes?" Jacob asked.
"I actually have plans tonight- to hang out with some old friends." He pointed back over his shoulder. "And we are supposed to meet up like... now." He admitted.
"Tate." Jacob started.
"Have fun, Sweetheart." My Mum interrupted. Jacob harrumphed but he didn't contradict what my Mum said. I stared at them both as Tate said his goodbyes and hurried off.
"What?" Mum asked, noticing my stare.
"You two did divorce, right? Legally?" Mum reached out and slapped my arm. "Maybe not." I danced out of the way.
"Am I crazy, or is that our old vacay buddies?" A voice called out. Mom's eyes widened with excitement and she looked over my head
"Janice! Tom!" She exclaimed, hurrying past me and into the arms of a woman. The woman's husband passed them and came over to shake Jacob's hand.
"Long time no see, stranger." The couple had decidedly American accents, their vacation clothes obviously more touristy than what my mother and Jacob wore, but somehow they made it work.
Tom and Janice Rydell, a couple that also vacationed here every summer, and the family we always ended up hanging out with.
"Oh my goodness, Blaise- You've gotten... tall." Janice reached out and squeezed my bicep.
"Tall, yeah." I agreed. I'd always been tall. I found myself tempted to check Janice out- I was grown now and despite being incredibly weird and dorky, Janice was hot.
"Where are your other monsters?" Tom asked.
"Tate just went to hang out with some friends and Reid is at the house finishing up some work before her summer officially starts."
"Oh! Tate might be out with our Elena, she went out with friends tonight too." Janice nodded. "Oh I can't wait to tell her that you guys are back, she was so upset when we showed up three years in a row and your villa lights stayed dark."
"We will." I agreed with a nod.
"Well, drinks?" Janice asked. "Tom and I were going to go to the karaoke bar they just put in. If you wanted to join us."
"Karaoke?" Mum asked, grinning. "I'm in." She agreed. It was so strange, seeing my mother here versus the woman she was back home with the other pureblood elite.
"If she's in I'm in." Jacob agreed. "Blaise."
"I think I'm going to head home a little early." I answered, holding out my hand. "I'll take the bag though, make sure Reid gets her dessert- half of it anyway."
"Blaise-"
"Kidding, Mom, have fun." I winked and snatched the bag, hurrying away. As soon as I was far enough and on my own, I apparated home. I glanced around the front hall, then headed for the main living area, no Reid.
I went to the kitchen and she wasn't there either, which means she must have finished up her work and headed up to her room. I dropped the bag on the table, heading up the stairs quietly.
if she was already mad at me, I'd go ahead and make it worse by scaring the hell out of her. I crept up the stairs, moving down the hall. Her door was open the smallest crack and I grinned, even better. as I headed for the door, I could hear her in her room-
Moaning.
I froze outside of the door, my back pressed against the wall as I heard this time not a moan but a small choked sound that I recognized all too well.
Shit.
I pushed away from the wall, the temptation to walk in and take over for her was strong, I could see her in my mind, her dark blonde hair fanned out over the pillow, her long legs spread with her hand between her legs, her fingers moving over her swollen clit, her cunt and inner thighs gleaming-
I bit down hard on my lip and thought about the letter I had sent her, pretend it never happened- none of it had ever happened. I had to stick to that too. I walked back down the stairs, opening and loudly closing the front door to alert her I was home.
I still planned on stealing half of her dessert, but I would have to take it up to my room because there was no way I could act like nothing happened when I was hard as a rock and regretting trying to be the nice guy.